Steam log-turner.



No. 640,5U3. Patented Jan. 2, I900. E. E. THOMAS.

STEAM LOG TURNER.

(Application filed Aug 5, 1899.)

2 SheetsSheet I.

(No Model.)

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No. 640,503. M

E. E. THOMAS. 900.

STEAM LOG TURNER.

(Appfication filed. Aug. 5, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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EDWIN E. THOMAS, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION IRON YVORKS, OF SAME PLACE.

STEAM LUG TURNEF-l.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Eatent No. 640,503, dated January 2, 1900.

Application filed August 5, 1899. Serial No. 726,237. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, EDWIN E. THOMAS, of Minneapolis, llennepin county, Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam Log-Turners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in steam-operated devices that are adapted to turn logs axially on a sawmill-carriage and to move the same into place on the carriage; and the objects I have in view are to provide a steam log-turner that will automatically adapt itself to a log of any diameter and will be held in engagement therewith throughout the turning operation.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a log-turner embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on the line to :0 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow in said figure.

In the drawings, 2 represents part of an ordinary log-carriage mounted upon suitable axles 3, that are provided with suitable truckwheels 5, that are adapted to travel on suitable rails 7. The carriage may be of any ordinary or preferred construction, and it is provided with the usual head-blocks, setworks, the. A curved tooth-bar 9, provided with a series of pivoted teeth 11, is arranged to engage a log upon the carriage, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The curved toothbar 9 is secured to the angular bar 13, which in turn is pivoted, at a point near where the curved tooth-bar is secured to it, to a pistonrod15 of an oscillating steam-cylinder 17. The bar 13 and the tooth-bar 9 may be further conneoted by means of a bracerod 19. If preferred, the bar and the tooth-bar 9 may be formed all in one piece. As here shown, however, the tooth-bar 9 is formed of two parts, between which the bar 13 projects, and between the two parts of the tooth-bar are arranged the pivoted dogs 11, each of which is provided with a suitable stop 12. The cylinder 17 is of the usual construction and is 'pin 45.

provided withthe usual valve-box 21, Within which is a suitable valve operated by means of a rod 23, that extends to the usual universally-mounted operating-lever. (Not shown.) A steam-pipe 25 is connected to the valveboX 21, and by this means, when desired, steam is admitted to the bottom of the cylinder 1?, thereby forcing the piston upward in said cylinder. hen the steam valve is moved so as to open the exhaust-port, the piston descends by its own gravity. A second cylinder 27 is arranged, preferably, in line with and at right angles to the cylinder 17. It is provided with a piston-rod 29 and a steam-chest 31, within which is located a suitable slide-valve connected, by a link 33, with a bell-crank lever 35, that is in turn connected by a rod 37 to the usual operating-lever. (Not shown.) The cylinder 27 is adapted to take steam at each end, whereby the piston therein is moved in either direction, as desired. A divided connecting-rod 39 is connected to the piston-rod 29 and passes on opposite sides of the cylinder 17 (see Fig. 2) and is connected to the lower end of the pivoted sway-bar 41. This sway-bar 41 is pivoted upon a suitable bracket 43, that is secured upon one of the stationary timbers 45 of the mill. The bar 41 is preferably made in two parts, as shown in Fig. 2, and the bracket 43 projects between these parts. The upper end of the sway-bar 41 is pivotally connected to the free end of the bar 13, preferably by having the bar 13 extend between the two parts of the bar 41 and pivoting the same by means of a suitable In connection with the sway-bar 41 I provide a movable stop that regulates the movement of said sway-bar. This stop consists, preferably, of the triangular frames 47, between which the bar41 passes. (See Fig. 2.) The frames 47 are provided with the transverse rolls 48 and 49, and these rolls serve to limit the movement of the lower end of the sway-bar. The frames 47 are connected to astationary bracket 51, arranged upon a timber or post45,by means of the pivoted links 53. These links are preferably double, as shown in Fig. 2, and each of said links has one end pivoted to one of the frames 47 and its opposite end pivoted to a block 55. This block is secured to a post 45 by a bolt 57, which passes through the bracket 51 and through said post and is held in position by suitable nuts 59. Suitable rubber cushions 61 are preferably provided in connection with said bolt 57. A rod 63 has its lower end connected pivotally to the outer ends of the frames 47, and its upper end is connected to the bar 13 a short distance from the point of connection between said bar and the sway-bar 41. I may also provide a suitable bell-crank lever 65, pivoted upon the frame of the machine and provided with a connecting-rod 67, which connects one arm of the bell-crank lever to the lower end of the sway-bar 41. The other arm of the bell-crank lever is provided with a sliding adjustable weight 69, adapted to be moved and kept in any position on said arm.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing detailed description of its construction. The curved tooth-bar is raised as desired by admitting steam to the cylinder 17, and as said tooth-bar 9 and bar 13, connected thereto, are raised the adjustable frames 47, forming the stop for the sway-bar, are moved vertically and rearwardly, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. This permits the lower end of the sway-bar to swing farther from the carriage and its upper end to swing farther toward the carriage, and this movement permits the upper end of the tooth-bar to move farther forward, and thereby to surely come in contact with and engage the surface of the log no matter what the diameter of the log may be.

It will be noted that the lower end of the sway-bar has a limited movement between the rolls 48 and 49 and the frames 47; but this movement would not be sufficient under all circumstances to keep the tooth-bar in engagement with the log. Hence I provide the movable stop in connection with the lower end of the sway-bar and so arrange said stop that as the tooth-bar moves upward the stop is raised and moves rearwardly, thereby permitting a greater forward movement of the curved tooth-bar.

As will be well understood, the valves controlling the admission and exhaust of steam from both cylinders 17 and 27 are designed to be operated by means of a single lever having a universal connection with the valverods. These levers are in common use with devices of this class. To operate the valve or valves of one cylinder, the lever is given a straight forward or backward pull. To operate the valve or valves of the other cylinder, it is given a sidewise movement or a movement at right angles to the movement necessary to operate the valves of the first cylinder. To operate both valves simultaneously, the lever is given a diagonal movement. It is difficult sometimes for a beginner to properly handle this lever so as to get the desired 'control of the valves of the cylinders. I provide, therefore, the movable weight upon the bell-crank lever connected to the lower end of the sway-bar. With this device as the movable stop is moved upward and backward by the raising of the tooth bar and the connected bar 13 the weight draws back the lower end of the sway-bar, thrusting forward its upper end and thrusting forward the curved tooth-bar. Satisfactory results from the operation of the device may therefore be obtained by admitting steam to the cylinder 17 only, and thereby raising the piston-rod15 and the curved toothbar. I prefer, however, to control the upward movement of the curved tooth-bar by the cylinder 17 and the forward or rearward movement of said bar by the cylinder 27. The adjustable stop permits considerable forward and backward movement of the lower end of the sway-bar, and thus of the curved tooth-bar, in any position in which it may be, and a much larger range of movement is obtained by mounting said stop upon the piv oted links hereinbefore described.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, in a log-turner, with the curved tooth-bar and the operating-cyh inder having its piston-rod connected with said tooth-bar, of the pivoted sway bar, to which the tooth-bar is connected, and a movable stop for said sway-bar operated by the tooth-bar to control the motion of the swaybar and thereby its effect on the tooth-bar.

2. The combination, in a log-turner, with the tooth-bar and means for operating said tooth-bar, of a pivoted sway-bar connected to said tooth-bar, and a movable stop for said sway-bar, said stop being arranged and 0perated to control the motion of the sway-bar and thereby its effect on the tooth-bar.

3. The combination, in a log-turner, with the tooth-bar and means for operating it, of a pivoted sway-bar connected to said toothbar, a steam-cylinder provided with a piston and rod connected to said sway bar and a movable stop for said sway-bar, said stop being connected to said tooth-bar and controlling the motion of said sway-bar.

4. The combination, in a log-turner, with the curved tooth-bar and its operating-cylinder, of the sway-bar connected to said toothbar, the operating-cylinder for said sway-bar,

and a movable stop for said sway-bar connected to and operated by said tooth-bar.

5. The combination, with the curved toothbar 9, the angular bar 13 pivotally connected to the piston-rod of an operating-cylinder, the sway-bar 41 pivoted upon a fixed support and connected to said bar 13, the frames 47 forming stops for said sway-bar and mounted upon links 53 and the rod 39 connecting said sway-bar to the piston-rod of a cylinder ar ranged at right angles to said first-mentioned nected to said tooth-bar, for the purpose set cylinder, for the purpose set forth. forth. 1o

6. The combination, with the curved tooth- In witness whereof I have hereunto set my bar and its operating-cylinder, of the pivoted hand this 2d day of August, 1899.

sway-bar connected to said tooth-bar, the EDWIN E. THOMAS.

bell-crank lever connected to said sway-bar In presence of and provided with an adjustable weight and A. 0. PAUL,

the movable stop for said sway-bar also con- A. F. HOLMES. 

